Chris Stout on Getting Published

How to Publish in the New
Millennium:
From Scientific Journals to
Best Sellers
Chris E. Stout
DrChrisStout.com

I’m glad you are here!
Writing is transformative…

Who has published?
Your dissertation
A peer reviewed journal article
Newsletter article
Book review
Blog
Book chapter
Book (fiction/nonfiction)
Script/Screenplay
Other…?

We’ll cover:
 Scientific publishing
 Book publishing
 Contracts
 Blogging
 Marketing
 Tools
 Tutors
 And more…

• Mechanics of submitting
– Make sure it’s the right journal
– Only one at a time
– Blind, impartial review
– Can take time
– Await:
• Acceptance or
• Tentative acceptance with revisions or
• Rejection

• Reviewing (nice way to start)
– Journals
– PsychCRITIQUES
– How to get to review?
• Scientific Articles – Publish or Perish
– Highly ranked, peer reviewed
journals are the (academic)
gold standard, and are the trail
to tenure…

• Scientific Articles
– Dr. Kremer
– Grant funded  Popular
• Presentations  Publications
– Published abstract in proceedings
– APS presentation  chapter
– APA Symposium  chapter
– Non-psych conference
to test ideas  book…

• Professional Magazines
– Modern Healthcare
– Division 42, other Divisions
– National Psychologist
– Illinois Psychologist
• Freelance
• Columnist

• Editing vs. Soloing
– (Sometimes) faster
– (Sometimes) easier
– Seems to be no difference in getting a
contract
• Non-fiction (my biases)
– Never write a whole book first
• Unless fiction
– Always contract first!
– What do they like to publish?
• Wiley likes Series…

How to pitch Wiley
•Need
– Why are you developing this project?
– What need does it address?
– What developments, trends,
and issues will cause the reader
to want to/need to read your book?

• Purpose
– What is the work designed to accomplish?
– What kind(s) of problems does your book
address and what solutions does it offer?
– How does it meet the need you have
identified?
– In what ways would the work add to
current knowledge and practice?
– What would the work help the
practitioner or student do, understand,
or improve?

• Distinctive Selling Points
• Target Market /Audience
• Table of Contents and Chapter-by-
Chapter Descriptions
• Knowledge Base
• Title Possibilities
• Length
• Competition
• Timetable
• Background Information

•Praeger likes Sets
and
•General Interest Categories
(of which you are invited)…

• Getting an agent
– Pitching a manuscript
– Novels/fiction/screenplays
– Kellerman/Mayer

Contracts a-go-go or a-no-go?
• Advances/Royalties
• Wiley vs. APA
• Payment timing
• Ownership
• Right of first refusal 
• Contracts are negotiable
• Control (ha, ha)
– Cover art
– Ink color
– Font style
– Size/cut
• Sell by the chapter (!)

Examples of real pitches for
contracted/published books,
real marketing plans, and
actual contracts are
available at…

Book Publishing,
“Non” Traditional

Which of these books were self-published?
• What Color is Your Parachute 22 editions, 6
million copies, 11 languages and 288
weeks on the NYT bestseller list
• In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters
• Real Peace by Richard Nixon
• The One-Minute Manager
• The Joy of Cooking
• The Elements of Style by
Strunk and White

Self-published?
What Color is Your Parachute 22 editions, 6
million copies, 11 languages and 288
weeks on the NYT bestseller list
In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters
Real Peace by Richard Nixon
The One-Minute Manager
The Joy of Cooking
The Elements of Style by
Strunk and White

Amazon's CreateSpace
• Their printing costs are the lowest
• There are no initial set-up fees
• They offer a non-exclusive agreement
that keeps your future publishing
and distribution options open
• They have Kindle distribution so
your book, once converted, can be
published as an e-Book as well.

The Benefits of Being #1 in Your Category
You get to share the buzz on social media about hitting #1…! Nice
Even more importantly, your book will start to get recommended
under the section titled "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought"
for other similar books.
While no one knows the exact algorithm Amazon
uses to recommend your book, there seems to be
a connection with the ranking of your book, the
number of reviews, and number of sales.
The moral: As your ranking increases, Amazon
will promote your book...for free!

#1 in Kindle (or Amazon, for that matter)
The Key…?
Choose Your Categories Wisely

Self-Publishing: Words of Caution
• They frequently overcharge
• Sell unnecessary services
• May overstate what they will do
• You may be seduced into spending many
thousands of dollars to get your book printed
and distributed. And that’s without any
marketing or publicity services
• So, be an educated consumer, know
what services you need and know what
those services should cost. Then you
need to comparison shop. There are lots
of companies out there and the pricing
of their packaged plans frequently change.

• Blogging
– Aim for keywords that solve
problems (“How to deal with a
passive-aggressive husband”)
– Provide tips that deliver (“10
tips for helping your kid get
better grades”), or
– Answer intriguing questions
(“Why don’t men live as long as
women?”)

I need a volunteer with pen and
paper…

Marketing Ideas
• Get “Names” to write your
– Foreword
– Afterword
– “Early Praise”
• Surprisingly not hard
• Past APA Presidents
• WEF Founder
• The trick?
– Ask!

The Psychology of Terrorism


Oprah on line 1
• You may believe that once your book is
published, your work is done. It’s not.
• It’s only the beginning. Here are 10 ways
to get started:
– Participate in online forums about
your book’s subject.
– Ask colleagues, friends and book
bloggers if they would review your
book. Don’t forget to offer them a free
copy of your book.
– Create a mailing list composed of
people who have shown interest in
your work. Keep them informed
about anything new that you’ve
written.
– Go to Amazon Central to create an
author profile so readers can learn
more about you.

Oprah on line 2
• Join social media sites and groups within
those sites that might be interested in
your book.
• Issue press releases about your work.
Don’t make the press release
promotional. Instead, orient it toward
stimulating the interest of a reporter or
producer. You can write your own press
release or purchase them from services
that will also distribute them to the media
(e.g., PR Newswire).
• Join APA’s media referral services. Be
ready to define your specific expertise.
Then, be prompt in returning journalists’
phone calls and helping them develop
their stories…

15-tab marketing master spreadsheet

and I track most all of
them…

This one is particularly interesting.

Talks
• Venues for Sales
– Public Libraries ($ )

Talks
– Barnes & Noble
(No $ )

Talks
Colleges (you’re
what that activity
fee was for…)

Talks
– Organizations
• Div 42 @ APA

Talks
• Venues for Opportunities
– Schools/PTAs (consults/referrals)
– Houses of Worship (referrals)
– Professional (academic currency,
test driving ideas, etc…)

Talks, aka $peaking Engagements
• Congratulations! You have been invited
to speak!
– Who is the audience?
– Free or fee? (Value to you even if free?)
– Who pays to get you there and back?
– Just travel or meals, too?
– Who makes arrangements?
– Actual costs incurred or per diem?
– Deposit and/or cancellation fee?
• Have a Prepared Agreement Form
– Basically clarity on all the details
makes everyone happy.

Local Sites Database (email me for a copy)

Lots (and lots) of resources…
• (More) ways to Increase you Amazon
ranking
• How to create your first Kindle book in a
weekend
• CreateSpace formatted book template
• Tips for Getting Motivated
• 14 Tips for Writing Faster
• Tools to get through writer’s
block
• And about a 1000 more tips…

Now, get started…
DrChrisStout.com

Chris Stout on Getting Published

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